Today, beef cattle breeding is almost the basis of all agriculture in our country. But it is one of the most problematic and difficult exercises.
For example, in state agricultural institutions, the profitability of grain production rarely exceeds a modest 25%, and if we talk about beef cattle breeding, then in the best case it gives up to 15% of the profit.
This is very noticeable in the province, where many collective farms use equipment that was released back in the Soviet Union. The actual absence of any integration with other farms has a very negative effect on meat production, as a result of which agricultural enterprises exist completely separately from each other, selling products at ridiculous purchase prices.
Characteristics of beef cattle breeding
Due to climatic and soil features in 90% of the regions of our country, beef cattle breeding has an extremely low profitability. In addition, in Russia there is simply not a single beef breed of cattle adapted specifically to our conditions. That is why livestock, cattle for which is the actual core, in our country is focused on the production of milk.
This is largely due to gross errors of livestock specialists in the USSR who tried to breed universal meat and dairy breeds of cattle. As a result, it turned out that meat production decreased several times.
Which breeds should be preferred?
Preferred all over the world include the following: Shorthorn, Hereford, as well as Kazakh white-headed and Charolais.
Bulls of the last breed are famous for the fact that they can reach an absolutely incredible weight of one and a half tons (or even higher).
The weight of a meat breed cow often exceeds 700 kg. Thus, the production of meat will be cost-effective only if you carefully approach the choice of animals.
What meat yield can be expected?
If animals are kept in suitable conditions and fully fed, their growth is at a tremendous pace. In just one year, the goby reaches a mass of about 450 kg, which far exceeds the growth rate of pigs. Thus, the yield of beef from live weight is at least 50%, while for a dairy cow this figure is at best 35–40%.
Biochemical characteristics of cattle meat
Pork has not been widely used abroad for a long time, since beef (from normal livestock breeds) tastes much better. This is also due to the fact that the latter has the most optimal ratio of proteins and fats. It has a lot of essential amino acids, microelements, but the fat content is much lower than even in low-fat pork. The digestibility of such meat exceeds 95%, while for fatty pork this figure does not exceed 70%.
In fairness, it is worth noting that under specially selected conditions of feeding and keeping, similar results can be obtained even from ordinary dairy breeds. In this regard, the age of the animals, in which they can be sent for slaughter, is extremely important. Contrary to generally accepted considerations, there is not much meat in the carcasses of calves. The older the animal, the more muscle tissue it contains in its body. This means that meat production is also becoming more profitable.
In bulls, muscle growth is rapid, only up to one and a half years, after which adipose tissue comes in their place.Therefore, in beef cattle breeding, fattening is performed for a maximum of 1.5 years. During this period, the cost per unit of feed is very small in relation to the unit of output.
Even a person who is very far from animal husbandry probably knows that the weight gain depends on the type and quality of animal feed. If the cattle does not receive the required amount of nutrients, this extremely negatively affects the rate of its growth and the physiological state of the body. Among other things, in this case, much more feed is spent for every kilogram of live weight. Note that with intensive fattening per kilogram of meat, at least 7 feed units will be needed.
It should be borne in mind that almost all modern scientists believe that KE (feed unit) is an obsolete and inaccurate analogue of the nutritional designation of a particular feed.
Assessment of meat productivity after slaughter
The carcass after slaughter is evaluated by organoleptic indicators, the percentage of muscle tissue and subcutaneous fat. Fatness is determined both by visual inspection, and by measuring and probing muscles and fat in different parts of the carcass. It is very important to determine the degree of muscle density to the touch.
Please note that livestock farms sell livestock for slaughter not only in terms of live weight, but also in projected slaughter yield. In the latter case, the weight of the slaughtered animal is estimated without the skin, head and viscera, as well as without legs cut off along the elbow and hock joints. In a word, the yield of beef from live weight is higher, the greater this ratio.
Beef Production Highlights
Professional breeders identify the four most important stages. In the first stage, which is also called "dairy", calves are kept mainly in milk. Gradually they are transferred to coarse vegetable feed. At this time, animals are kept in group cells of several goals.
The second period captures the time interval from six months to a year. This is a very important stage, since it is at this stage that the intensive formation of muscle mass occurs.
The third phase, growing, takes place from one year to 15 months. This is also a very important time, since bone tissue and muscles develop intensively during this period, but almost no fat deposits occur.
Intensive fattening - the last three months, until the animals reach the age of 18 months. As the name implies, at this stage the cattle are intensively fed, achieving the maximum possible gain.
The accumulation of adipose tissue occurs at the last stage. The most intense muscle growth is observed from 4 to 6 months, and fat - from 15 to 18 months. If all the technology of feeding was fully observed, then by 18 months the weight of the animals should be at least 500 kg.
Nutrition and Diet Information
When fattening in the diet of animals should be at least 30% of roughage (that is, high-quality hay), at least 45-50% of succulent (root crops), as well as up to 30% of concentrates.
Unfortunately, in practice it often happens that the share of rough and succulent (often minimized) feed is reduced as much as possible, and the remainder of the diet is replaced by concentrates.
Just want to warn novice farmers about the inadmissibility of this approach. We have already mentioned that with an increase in the proportion of concentrates, the palatability of meat is greatly affected.
But even more importantly, cattle are not created by nature to feed on animal feed alone. In gobies, ketosis will begin, a massive death of animals from constant blockages of the scar is possible. Trying to speed up the process of fattening, you will only incur huge and completely unnecessary costs.
How is beef produced?
Today there are full and partial cycles of cattle meat production. In our farms, historically, the first method has become the most common. Moreover, all four stages described above take place at one livestock enterprise.
In the second case, entrepreneurs buy half-year-old gobies weighing up to 200 kg, after which they put them to fattening. Of course, the production time of beef in this case is seriously reduced. The fact is that raising calves from six months to a year is the most difficult and crucial stage, at which any flaws can lead to cattle mortality.
A bit about cost and profitability
Unlike other businesses, it is extremely difficult to voice even the approximate amount of costs that will be required to organize the production of beef. Too much in this case depends on factors that are specific to each region in our country. However, we can consider in detail all those components of a successful business in this area that will lead its owner to success.
In many ways, the profitability of production depends on the availability of a fairly rich forage base. Up to 25% of the profitability of a business depends on the effectiveness of the organization of fattening. The same 25% gives the right choice of livestock for breeding. In our country, in livestock farms, strong problems are observed in all three indicators. In addition, we recall once again that the output of cattle meat from live weight, which is greatest only in meat breeds, plays a huge role.
In what form to organize livestock production?
The best option for the development of own meat production is the organization of a farm. In recent years, their share has been steadily increasing even in our country, which is very conservative in this regard. However, their number so far does not exceed 10% of the total number of all agricultural enterprises.
What are the main costs of production?
All the main costs for the development of own beef production consist of the following main points: purchase or reconstruction of premises that are suitable for animal feed, purchase of livestock and equipment, feed, as well as the payment of wages to staff. With the investments of third parties in our country, everything is rather sad, since they are not eager to invest money in a rather risky area.
Today, only three regions in the country are able to independently provide themselves with the necessary amount of beef. That's just all of them are located in the south. The total amount of beef produced by domestic enterprises does not exceed 1.5 million tons, which is very, very small for a state with such dimensions.
What will be required to open a slaughterhouse?
First, you will need to purchase all the necessary equipment. This includes electric saws, hoists and blocks for lifting carcasses, freezers for storing finished products. For cutting, you need to purchase a set of knives, cleats and axes.
Employees should purchase special clothing and shoes. Keep in mind that cattle slaughterhouse only requires professional butchers who can quickly and accurately cut even large volumes of meat.
Equipment costs will be at least 2-3 million rudders. The main expense item is freezers, the cost of which is quite high.
Room requirements
Note that the slaughter cattle workshop should be at least half a kilometer from the nearest residential buildings. Inside, there should be hot and cold water supply, a sewer system, electrical wiring with the ability to connect devices to 380 V.
Walls and floors should be tiled or other material that can be easily disinfected.
Staff
It will take fighters, butchers, auxiliary workers. Each shift must have a veterinarian conducting a veterinary and sanitary examination of the finished product.
Required documents
You will need to obtain permits from the local branch of the SES, Rospotrebnadzor and the state veterinary service.
In addition, you need permission from local governments.Each employee of your workshop must have a health record.
It takes at least three months to complete all the documents. Total costs - about 5 million rubles. Profitability of production - at least 40%. Thus, a business plan for fattening bulls will allow you to organize a very profitable production from scratch.
Industry risks
Investors do not like the fact that raising and fattening animals takes an extremely long time. The standard initial cultivation period is six months. Subsequent fattening takes at least five months.
Strong risks at the first stages of cultivation, high variability of the cost of feed, depending on weather conditions in each particular year, as well as the presence of a large number of competitors from countries with better climatic conditions - all this creates a not very favorable investment climate, which slows down the production of beef in our country.
